Chapter
II.—The Digressions of the Apostle Paul; The Character of His
Doctrine: Nothing in It Contradictory; Condemnation of Origen,
Who Wrongly Turns Everything into Allegory.

Let it not disturb you, if, in discussing one
class of subjects, he, i.e., Paul, should pass over into
another, so as to appear to mix them up, and to import matters foreign
to the subject under consideration, departing from the question, as now
for instance. For wishing, as it seems, to strengthen most
carefully the argument on behalf of chastity, he prepares the mode of
argument beforehand, beginning with the more persuasive mode of
speech. For the character of his speech being very various, and
arranged for the purpose of progressive proof, begins gently, but flows
forward into a style which is loftier and more magnificent. And
then, again changing to what is deep, he sometimes finishes with what
is simple and easy, and sometimes with what is more difficult and
delicate; and yet introducing nothing which is foreign to the subject
by these changes, but, bringing them all together according to a
certain marvellous relationship, he works into one the question which
is set forth as his subject. It is needful, then, that I should
more accurately unfold the meaning of the apostle’s arguments,
yet rejecting nothing of what has been said before. For you seem
to me, O Theophila, to have discussed those words of the Scripture
amply and clearly, and to have set them forth as they are without
mistake. For it is a dangerous thing wholly to despise the
literal meaning,25542554
This is the obvious English equivalent of the Greek
text.—Tr. [A singularly cautious
testimony against Origen, whom our author follows too closely in
allegorizing interpretations of Scripture. Origen, having
literalized so sadly in one case, seems to have erred ever afterward in
the other extreme. Here is a prudent caveat.] as has been
said, and especially of Genesis, where the unchangeable decrees of God
for the constitution of the universe are set forth, in agreement with
which, even until now, the world is perfectly ordered, most beautifully
in accordance with a perfect rule, until the Lawgiver Himself having
re-arranged it, wishing to order it anew, shall break up the first laws
of nature by a fresh disposition. But, since it is not fitting to
leave the demonstration of the argument unexamined—and, so to
speak, half-lame—come let us, as it were completing our pair,
bring forth the analogical sense, looking more deeply into the
Scripture; for Paul is not to be despised when he passes over the
literal meaning, and shows that the words extend to Christ and the
Church.

2554
This is the obvious English equivalent of the Greek
text.—Tr. [A singularly cautious
testimony against Origen, whom our author follows too closely in
allegorizing interpretations of Scripture. Origen, having
literalized so sadly in one case, seems to have erred ever afterward in
the other extreme. Here is a prudent caveat.]